Saturday, 23 January 2016

Guest post by Rayne Hall

Things will go wrong—that's normal.
Anticipate this, and the obstacles won't have the power to shake you.

Imagine a martial artist whose goal
is to win the regional karate championships. He's skilled, he trains, he has
the right attitude. Will his path be obstacle-free? No! Every competitor in the
contest will do the utmost to beat him to the win. Those he meets in a match
will beat him up with ferocity. Only a
fool would expect the other contestants to surrender so he can win.

On top of that, life is going to
add further hindrances. His regular trainer isn't available in the run-up to
the event. On the big day, he wakes with a headache pounding his skull. Bad
news about his father's health and worries the rent sap his mental focus. When
it's time to drive to the venue, his car won't start.

These obstacles could be reasons to
give up a goal—and many people do. Not you.

Mentally prepare yourself for
obstacles on your way. Then, when you encounter one, you can say, "Ah, the
first obstacle. What shall I do about it?"

Instead of viewing obstacles as
reasons to give up, view them as tests. A higher power (God, fate, the creative
force of the universe) has put them in your path to determine if you're worthy
of success. Welcome them, solve them, and move on.

This approach of interpreting
something in a different way is called 'reframing' and it's what keeps the
tough going when the going gets tough.

Here's a more advanced reframing
technique, one that will do wonders for your mental strength and propel you
towards success:

View every problem as an
opportunity. This needs some thought, but gives huge rewards.

Let's say you've been made
redundant. The job you loved, the hopes you invested in this company, the
income you depended on are all gone.

It will takes mental strength to
reframe this loss as something positive. Try it! You will feel better, and
you'll emerge from this situation not as a loser but as a winner.

What opportunities are hidden in
this bad situation? Make a list, and be creative about it, including small and
practical ideas as well as drastic and daring possibilities. Start with "I
can" or if it feels more comfortable to you, "I could..."

In the case of the person who lost
their job, the opportunities list could look like this:

- I can spend more time at home
with my children until I get another job.

- I can carry out the repairs
around the house my wife has been asking me for.

- I can finally finish the novel
I've been working on for the past ten years.

- I can look for a better-paid job.

- I can explore a different career
direction.

- I can take the plunge and become
a self-employed entrepreneur, something I've long wanted to do but didn't
because I lacked the courage to leave my job.

- I can fulfil my dream to live and
work abroad.

Here's a third reframing technique
for when things go wrong: You never fail—instead, you learn valuable lessons
that will help you towards success.

Here are some examples.

"I failed."

"I haven't succeeded
yet."

"I'm a failure."

"I'm still working on my
success."

"I screwed this up."

"I've learnt a valuable lesson
how not to do this."

"I'm wasn't good enough for
this assignment."

"Now I know what skills I need
for this type of assignment."

"I'm an idiot. I let those
people scam me."

"I'm smart. I've learnt how
scammers operate. In future, I'll see through this kind of trick."

"I've lost everything."

"I'm ready to start again from
zero."

Action Point

Think of your current goal—
something set out to achieve today, or your New Year's resolution, or perhaps
the lifetime ambition you're working towards. What obstacles have you
encountered so far? Writing them down as a list, with the heading 'Obstacles To
Overcome' will help you see them for what they are, and empower you to feel in
control.

Progress Assignment

Has something bad happened to you
recently, a shock you're still still reeling from?

Write a list of at least ten
opportunities that might arise from this blow. Be aware that you may encounter
mental resistance, that inner voice telling you that what happened is so bad
nothing good can come out of it. This is a test for your mental strength. Can
you do it? If yes, you'll emerge from this assignment much, much stronger.

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

Disclaimer: this post has nothing to do with go-go girls whatsoever. Sorry.

2016 is already penned to be a busy one. With the continuing saga of the Chaos Halo series for Future Chronicles and more horror flash fiction as well as the expansion of the Shadow Fabric mythos, I'm going to be hard at it. Also, there's the gradual development of a steampunk universe. Yeah, there's a novel in the works.

Alongside this lot, there are three new anthologies set to feature my work.

Back in October, a previously-unpublished mythos story won a Halloween competition with Dark Chapter Press and will be included in one of their upcoming publications. Also, I'm currently on the final draft of a ghost story for a Shadows At The Dooranthology I've been invited to work on. The research into that haunting tale has been fun and I'll be sure to share it in a later post. Lastly, an anthology that has recently hit the shelves includes another mythos story:

The Blurb

Ten Talented writers share their visions of the Crone.

Eurydice - Patricia Cochrane

The Pensioner Pirates of Marine Parade- Jonathan Broughton

Exile- April Grey

Watchers of Old- Judith Rook

Fresh Finch- Amy Grech

Kin - Rayne Hall

Burning Michelangelo - Annamarie Pederson

Freewheeling Free Association and the Theme Park Rangers of Death - Phillip T.Stephens

Aging is not for the faint-hearted, yet there is little choice in the matter. You can take good care of your health, your finances, your loved ones and still life will throw a curve ball.

In this anthology you will find tales of courage, of women who rise to the challenges of time in many different ways.

Some stories are of women aging gracefully but their tales are still kickass because they have a lot to overcome. Other stories are humorous, because if you can’t age gracefully, then by all means age disgracefully.

And there are a couple of very dark tales as well. I think you will delight in them as much as I do.

April Grey has worked with Dirk in the past when she commissioned him to create artwork for the cover of her The Fairy Cake Bake Shoppe.Hell's Grannies: Kickass Tales of the Crone is available from Amazon.

Mark Cassell lives in a rural part of the UK with his wife and a
number of animals. He often dreams of dystopian futures, peculiar creatures,
and flitting shadows. Primarily a horror writer, his steampunk, dark fantasy,
and SF stories have featured in several anthologies and ezines. His latest
release,Sinister Stitches,is a collection of stories from a
mythos that began with his debut novel,The Shadow Fabric, a supernatural horror tale of demons, devices, and deceit.